Gizmodo: tubes

Newly Discovered Hole On Moon Leads To Network Of Tubes

Rosa Golijan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EDT

Images have revealed a hole on the Moon's surface that is at least 260 feet deep and may lead to an underground tunnel more than 1,200 feet wide which is part of an entire network of such winding tubes.

Scientists are hoping for clearer shots from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, but the impression so far is that such a tunnel network could provide shelter for astronauts or potential future Moon colonists. I just plain wonder if they could combine it with the recent discovery of water for one kickass underground waterpark. [New Scientist via Pop Sci]

How Vaccuum Tubes Are Made and Used, Explained in 1942

John Mahoney — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:40:00 EDT

Just imagine, if everything that used transistors today was actually powered by beautiful vacuum tubes of old. Control yourselves, steampunkers, this 1942 RCA doc "Electrons on Parade" may blow your vintage thought fuses.

And, also, forget Twitter—I need the narrator of these videos to just follow me around and annotate the minutiae of my life in that glorious 1940s radio voice. Now that would be entertainment.

[via Make]

Roth MC4 Music Cocoon iPod Dock is a Series of Real Tubes

Charlie White — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST

We're getting bored with iPod docks, but not with this MC4 Music Cocoon from Roth Audio. Look at that blend of the old and new with real operating tubes along with a universal dock for your iPod.

The MC3 gives you 13 watts per channel of that smooth, clean tube sound that you can't get with a pile of silicon. It's like the difference between real and fake tits. Take the hop to the next page for specs, price and front/rear close-ups.

Main Features
Hi-Resolution pure tube sound
2 pre-amp tube
Supports different musical sources: i-Pod, CD and MP3
Volume Control
iPod Charging
Overheating protection
Speaker short circuit protection
Speaker protection when turning on
Fuse protection in the adapter

Specifications
Power Output: 13W x 2
Frequency response: 20Hz~ 30KHz
T.H.D: < 0.5%
S/N ratio: > 90dB
Input impedance: 100Kohm
Output impedance: 8ohm
AC Input: 110V/230VAC Selectable, 50Hz/60Hz
Power Consumption: 50 V/A
Tube Type: 12AX7 x 2, 12AU7 x 2 MOS FET
Input Selectors: iPod, CD, MP3
Dimension: 187 (L) x 174 (W) x 108 (T) mm
Weight: 1.8 Kg (Amplifier only)

The Roth MC4 Music Cocoon will be available in April for £399 (about $779). – Charlie White

Product Page [Roth Audio, via Shiny Shiny]

Swatch Concept: Air Tube Design Has Us Pumped

Charlie White — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:57:44 EST

Wish we could say this is the latest Swatch that's on sale now, but not yet. It's a concept by British designer Laurence Dawes based on a bicycle pump tube. Even though those floating numerals might be a bit difficult to manufacture, we think the concept is sufficiently eye-catching to warrant that coveted Swatch thumbs-up anyway.

Since this design was created in 2005, we're figuring it's high time Swatch took notice and picked this one up. – Charlie White

Designer's Site [Laurence Dawes, via Yanko Design]

Zvex Nano Head: Tiny Tube Amp Packs Punch

Charlie White — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:14:08 EST

The Zvex Nano Head is the world's smallest tube guitar amplifier, bound to be a favorite of electric git-box pickers and grinners all over the guitarisphere because of its unique distortion characteristics.

Classic rock & roll guitar playing is all about the distortion, where you're actually using overmodulation to your advantage. This .5-watt baby can't put out so much volume that it introduces unwanted artifacts in microphones, but still gives plenty of controllable distortion and great sound, so recording guitarists will be quite interested in this little pocket rocket.

Plus, it's probably a kick to hold this mini-firecracker in your hand, turning it up to 11 and feeling the heat as it strains against its screaming cargo. Go ahead, rock & roll ain't noise pollution. – Charlie White

Product Page [Zvex Amps]

Undersound: A Music-based MySpace For the Subway

Louis Ramirez — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:55:57 EDT

We don't get much subway entertainment (aside from that homeless guy who always plays the accordion for us) so our curiosity was piqued when we came across Undersound. Though it's yet to be rolled out, Undersound is an interface you can access from your Bluetooth handheld while riding the subway. From it, you can download and upload songs, anonymously browse through other commuters' music libraries (they'll be pinged if you decide to download from them), and access info about the subway station you're currently at (we're not sure why you'd wanna do that, but, ok). The idea behind the network sounds pretty cool and it'll finally give us something to do on the train other than fall asleep on our neighbor's shoulder. – Louis Ramirez

Undersound [via Gizmowatch via Coin-Op]

All-Tube Digital Clock

Charlie White — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 11:14:53 EDT

Nixie tubes, otherwise known as numicators, were hawt stuff back in the pre-LED/LCD 60s if you wanted to display numerals in their digital form. Now do-it-yourselfers are creating retro clocks using the things. We've seen lots of nixie clocks before, but this one is the Mother of All Nixie Clocks, using 103 tubes and taking the guy seven years to build.

All of the electronic functions necessary for this display are based on tubes, no integrated circuits, no silicon at all. Amazing. – Charlie White

Digitale Nixieröhrenuhr (in German, but lots of pics) [Jogis Roehrenbude, via Music Thing]